Somali referee Omar Artan, who was poised to make history as the first from his country to officiate at a FIFA World Cup finals, has been ruled out of the 2026 tournament after being denied entry into the United States.
Artan, who was named the 2025 Confederation of African Football (CAF) Men’s Referee of the Year, was stopped at Miami International Airport and subsequently repatriated to Turkey. No official explanation has been provided by US immigration authorities.
FIFA confirmed that the official will no longer participate in the tournament, stating that he would be unable to join the refereeing programme after his entry status was rejected. The governing body emphasised that visa and immigration decisions are the responsibility of host nations.
“FIFA can confirm that match official Omar Abdulkadir Artan will be unable to train and officiate at the FIFA World Cup 2026 after he was denied entry into the United States,” the organisation said.
The setback means Artan will miss the central refereeing camp in Miami, where all match officials are required to be based for training and preparation under the supervision of FIFA refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina. The arrangement effectively prevents him from officiating even matches scheduled in Canada or Mexico.
Sources within Somalia’s football administration confirmed that Artan was travelling with valid documentation, including a diplomatic passport issued to facilitate his international duties. The Somali Football Federation has since contacted FIFA seeking clarification on the decision.
A Somali embassy official in Nairobi also indicated that the passport had been specifically arranged to ease previous visa challenges.
Despite the disappointment, Artan struck an optimistic tone, thanking FIFA and the Confederation of African Football for their support and expressing hope of returning to future international competitions.
The development adds to growing controversy surrounding preparations for the tournament, with reports of visa and access issues affecting officials, fans, and teams from various countries. Critics, including former England striker Ian Wright, have described the build-up as chaotic, pointing to wider logistical and administrative concerns ahead of the global event scheduled from June 11 to July 19.
